What is it
Infertility is when a couple cannot conceive (get pregnant) despite having regular unprotected sex. Around one in seven couples may have difficulty conceiving but the number of couples who are actually infertile is low and help is available. A couple will only be diagnosed as being infertile if they have not managed to have a baby after two years of trying. There are two types of infertility:
- Primary infertility, where someone who has never conceived in the past has difficulty conceiving
- Secondary infertility, where a person has achieved one or more conceptions in the past, but is having difficulty conceiving again.
Some women get pregnant very quickly but for others it can take longer. It is a good idea for a couple to visit their GP if they have not conceived after one year of trying. Your GP will carry out an initial assessment to investigate factors that may be causing your fertility problems. If infertility problems are suspected, your GP will refer you to the hospital for further investigations by our consultants.
What we offer
The process of trying to conceive can be a very emotional one, so it is important that you try to support one another as much as possible. Stress is just one of the factors that can affect fertility and our teams of specialists are experts in providing tailored care to individual needs.
Once referred to our team we can begin investigations into possible reasons for you not being able to conceive. It is important to remember that infertility can affect both men and women.
There are a number of tests that can be carried out to test the woman’s hormone levels, if she is ovulating and whether there are any underlying conditions or disorders affecting her facility. Men will have their sperm analysed to check for mobility, concentration and more.
